Bate-Bola - Rio Secret Carnival #057, 2017

Vincent Rosenblatt  

Bate Bola #057 - Turma Amídia de Olaria, Rio de Janeiro, 2017. Fine art Print on baryta paper, 60x40 cm, edition 3/8.

This striking artwork showcases a vibrant and eccentric costume from the little know Bate-Bola Carnival from Rio de Janeiro. The figure is enveloped in an explosion of color, dominated by an orange fur-like bodice that seamlessly transitions into voluminous, patterned sleeves and skirt. The swirling patterns combine neon shades of pink, yellow, and blue, creating a kaleidoscopic effect that is both chaotic and mesmerizing. Perched atop the ensemble is an unconventional headpiece resembling a parasol, incorporating whimsical elements like a toy-like object at its peak, adding a layer of surrealism. The makeup is intricate and theatrical, accentuating the otherworldly aura. The setting, a narrow, dimly lit hallway, contrasts starkly with the vivid costume, emphasizing its grandeur. This work pushes the boundaries of traditional fashion, blending elements of fantasy and performance art, captivating the viewer with its bold originality and unapologetic celebration of color and creativity.

The series dedicated to Bate-Bola — the carnival of Rio's northern and western neighborhoods — transcends simple reportage: it reveals an aesthetic of trance, an alteration of perception in which the street becomes a sacred stage.

Bate-Bola is a carnival tradition from the outskirts of Rio: costumed groups with flamboyant masks, colorful capes, and bursts of sound parade through the streets, transforming them into an ephemeral theater. Drawing from multiple influences — from European Pierrot figures to Afro-Brazilian spiritualities and even pop culture — it condenses excess, invention, and collective vitality.

Vincent Rosenblatt does not photograph from the outside: he immerses himself, dances with the participants, capturing the visual lightning of the moment. Flashes, saturated colors, and tight framing convey the luminous violence of the carnival and open onto a hallucinatory experience. More than mere evidence, his images are icons: they erase the boundaries between document and vision, memory and apparition. This work forms a counter-narrative to the favelas, often reduced to violence by the media. Here, they assert themselves as centers of creativity and dignity.

Each photograph becomes a passage, a threshold crossed into an altered reality where the street is transfigured into a mythological stage. In this sense, Vincent Rosenblatt creates not only a living archive but a body of work fully situated within the field of contemporary photography, where popular art enters into dialogue with the avant-garde.

“I seek images that convey the trembling of reality… that moment of big bang, of original chaos when suddenly we are no longer in observation, but in enchantment."